The Guild 9-19-2002 Researchers find suicide rates rise under conservative rule

ABCNewsOnline ^ | 9-19-2002

[BigWaveBetty]

A study has found that suicide rates in Britain and Australia surged during the last century whenever conservative governments were in power.

University of Sydney researchers analysed suicide figures for New South Wales between 1901 and 1998, and compared them with the prevailing political regime.

When the Liberals or Nationals were in power, men were 17 per cent more likely to commit suicide than when Labor was in Government, while women were 40 per cent likelier to kill themselves.

In Britain, a team from Bristol University has found a similar trend.

Suicide rates were far lower under Labour Governments than under the Conservative Party.

They soared under Margaret Thatcher, who was Conservative Prime Minister from 1979 until 1990.

The researchers at Sydney University say possible factors include conservative parties' traditionally less interventionist approach than Labor on issues like health and welfare, which may cause a sense of exclusion among some people.

[lodwick]

If you saw what CC sent to me, there would be Hell to Pay. And not BKO's book either.

It's all algore's fault - I promise you. I am not smart enough to do this sort of perversity. I swear to you I'm not.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

See, I told you so. It's horrible and it's HUGE on my screen. I can't get the non porn picture off my thread.

[BigWaveBetty]

Oh gross, HLL emailed it to me.

Yes I too blame algore.

[lodwick]

Oh man. Try going to Tools (NO PUN INTENDED) Internet option, and clear files.

I am so sorry and apologize to any and all who have been grossed out by trying to learn more about Hiyacinth's Bucket's Daughter's pic...lot's of possessives there.

Manana guys - toast here. ;-)

[lodwick]

Bless you my friend - you know if I were wanting Mr.Weepy up and out, I would have posted it - and not relied on some round-a-bout method to deliver the goods.

Thanks for this vote of solidarity, so to speak.

[BigWaveBetty]

It wasn't your fault! It's that website, lots of sickies there.

Have a good evening, don't miss the end of H&C.

[BigWaveBetty]

HLL you were simply fabulous! And gorgeous too in your pink and green. Very smart to ask that hillary question, but you knew Sean couldn't resist that. ;-)

Hey y'all catch HLL on the rebroadcast if you missed her.

[krb]

I guess we weed out the weak better :-)

[Iowa Granny]

Well, I missed it. I had just come in from a flurry of meetings, changed into my robe and sat down at the computer,,, with my back to the TV screen. I heard the conversations, but was concentrating on reading posts, so the TV went in one ear and out the other without registering.

Just took a call from my attny. The lady who hit me is offering me $75,000 as the first offer,,, I had asked for $400,000. Tomorrow will be a flurry of negotiations.

[Iowa Granny]

Good Morning

[lodwick]

Good morning everyone.

Almost too much excitement yesterday.

I read on another thread where OliverNorth referred to x42 as William the Zipper on H&C last evening - the legacy continues downward.

Gran - if they offered you anything, it would seem that they do not want to chance the jury lotto payday verdict for you. 400huge does not seem unreasonable to me. The very best of luck with this one.

[Iowa Granny]

Thanx JL, it will be a roller coaster day here, for sure. I will probably be an emotional wreck before it's over.

[lodwick]

Stay home, kick back, and tell your attorney to call you when the check is ready for you. You've already won - it's just about how much. Good thoughts up for you.

[mountaineer]

A WEEK before she announced she was quitting her magazine, former "Queen of Nice" Rosie O'Donnell shocked patrons at the Cafe Carlyle with her not-so-nice behavior.

O'Donnell was underdressed and overly loud on Sept. 9 when she sat with her pregnant girlfriend, Kelly, in the front row at her pal Christine Ebersole's debut cabaret performance. O'Donnell repeatedly yelled out between songs, "She's great! Christine is wonderful! Christine deserves an Emmy!" It prompted one audience member to shout back: "She's already got one - shut up!"

Rosie said she didn't mean to annoy anyone, explaining she was just being Ebersole's cheerleader. And she denied being drunk, as some eyewitnesses claimed she was. "I love Christine Ebersole," O'Donnell told PAGE SIX. "I had four glasses of wine, no dinner, and weigh 200 pounds."

If members of the audience were annoyed at O'Donnell's exuberance, Ebersole certainly wasn't. "Christine wishes me the best and she called me the Sunday after and was quite happy I was having a good time," O'Donnell said. As for her boisterous cheering, O'Donnell noted: "Every time Christine sings, I cry. She is my best friend in show business. She helped me adopt my son, and is the godmother to my children. When her husband was in the hospital, I was there and was the first person he saw when he woke up." [That must have done wonders for his recovery]

Ebersole enjoyed her pal's enthusiasm so much that she introduced O'Donnell to the crowd with, "Ladies and gentlemen, Rosie O'Donnell!" - drawing applause around the room. .... O'Donnell has been under scrutiny ever since she came out of the closet, quit her TV chat show, and cut her hair. Her untimely exit from her Rosie magazine this week prompted one editor to tell the new York Times that she'd "snapped."

But the chubby chatterbox sounded positively cheerful yesterday when we asked what she plans to be up to next. "I am going to produce Boy George's new musical, 'Taboo,' on Broadway. In London it had the best musical debut since Andrew Lloyd Webber."

Page Six

[mountaineer]

'I DON'T mind the lines because when I was younger, I just looked so blank!" says actress Susan Sarandon, talking to Biography magazine about the inevitability of aging. Liz Smith

Someone should tell Susan Sarandon she's pretty darn blank now, as in "completely lacking in active brain cells."

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

New Thread

[mountaineer]

MSNBC picks up the Chelsea/AbFab story: Chelsea Clinton is scheduled to appear in the bawdy British sitcom, “Absolutely Fabulous,” according to Peoplenews.com. Clinton didn’t return calls for comment. . . . . , accompanied by this lovely headshot.

Someone should have told the photographer to pull back, way back.